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Jesse Jackson consults with J. Cochran re: Suing Chicago for Night Club Fire
NY Times ^ | 2/19/03 | Jodi Wilgoren

Posted on 02/19/2003 4:50:53 PM PST by NYC Republican

Today, as Mr. Jackson consulted Johnnie Cochran Jr. about filing a lawsuit against the city, the club's owners and the party's promoters on behalf of the victims, some people criticized him for helping keep a dangerous club open, particularly because of his long relationship with Mr. Kyles. The club owner's father, the Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles, a founding member of Mr. Jackson's Operation PUSH, was with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. the night he died.

But Mr. Jackson and other ministers who supported the club, as well as a bartender who worked there, said they had no idea there was a court order prohibiting use of the second floor. They accused the city of shirking its enforcement responsibilities and said officials should have known that the club was operating because of widespread advertisement of its events, continued police activity, and complaints from neighbors.

"The city has become very defensive about unenforced codes, what they knew when," said Mr. Jackson, who has asked the Illinois attorney general to conduct an independent investigation. "All who are culpable must be in the eye of the analysis. The owners, those responsible for the building being locked, those who didn't enforce the law. The public safety and security is in the hands of public officials whose charge that is."

As for his relationship with Mr. Kyles, a lawyer, Mr. Jackson said he also knew the police chief, the fire commissioner and relatives of the victims: "I know all of them because it's in the middle of my community."

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


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To: bfree
You hit the nail on the head.

When the city wants something closed, it closes it. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

John Kass had a good column today. When some guy wanted to throw a fundraiser for an aldermanic candidate in the 35th ward at his new restaurant, inspectors from the Department from Revenue showed up and threatened to throw him in jail if he opened.

On the same day as the fundraiser.

On behest of the sitting alderwoman, Vilma Colom.

I despise JJ as much as the next guy but if the city let itself get jerked around than a big share of the blame lies with them.
21 posted on 02/19/2003 6:31:54 PM PST by WhiteKnuckles
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To: NYC Republican
I am suprised that Jackson even admits to being aware that the club had a second floor, must have talked to Cochran after that little error.

If the Police enforce the law they are raciests, if they are lax, they are pecuniaraly libel when criminals screw up.

There was no fire, and there would be no dead and injured, except for the mindless, cattlesque stampede for the exits,fleeing from an imagined threat that did not exist. A little common courtesy and feeling for their fellow human beings and we wouldn't be having this discussion. If Jackson and his buddy, the father of the club owner were really ministers, that is the message they would be delivering to the victems, the cowards who ran them down and crushed the life out of them, and the scoff law lawyer propritor of the the joint.

22 posted on 02/19/2003 7:03:03 PM PST by F.J. Mitchell (Truth with just a pinch of sarcasm, puts a smile on your face as it makes you free.)
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To: NYC Republican
From news reports that I have seen, JJ should be retaining Johnnie to represent him!
23 posted on 02/19/2003 7:33:09 PM PST by KeyLargo
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To: NYC Republican
See previous thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/846433/posts
24 posted on 02/19/2003 7:35:15 PM PST by KeyLargo
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To: NYC Republican
That figures! Never put the responsibility where it lies..
25 posted on 02/19/2003 7:37:23 PM PST by Freedom2specul8 (Please pray for our troops....)
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To: SwinneySwitch
All who are culpable must be in the eye of the analysis
Er, that would be YOU, Jesse.
26 posted on 02/19/2003 7:37:50 PM PST by Libertina
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To: NYC Republican
It ain't be right,
That snow be white!

It ain't be right,
that snow be white!
27 posted on 02/20/2003 2:37:24 AM PST by TShaunK
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To: rdb3; Khepera; elwoodp; MAKnight; condolinda; mafree; Trueblackman; FRlurker; Teacher317; ...
Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

28 posted on 02/20/2003 11:54:39 AM PST by mhking ("The word is no. I am therefore going anyway..." --Admiral J.T. Kirk)
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To: NYC Republican
Why are you surprised? They've consulted before.


29 posted on 02/20/2003 11:58:54 AM PST by geedee
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To: NYC Republican; mhking
blink! blink! (going "tharn" here...)

refresh my memory: is it not the case that Tha Rev was instrumental in keeping this club in business, by strongarming the city into leaving it alone and ignoring double-digit count of code violations, by playing the usual "race-card" of accusing the city of having "targeted" the club in a broad effort "aimed at shutting down black-owned businesses"???

blink! blinkblinkblink! (tharn definitely taking hold)

can you believe the CHEEK of this posturing popinjay?
30 posted on 02/20/2003 12:01:49 PM PST by demosthenes the elder (i say it again: ALL WEAPONS ARE ASSAULT WEAPONS IF USED FOR THAT PURPOSE!)
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To: NYC Republican
In our "Through the Looking Glass" world these days, they'll probably win the suit and escape accountability.
31 posted on 02/20/2003 12:51:44 PM PST by ncpastor
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To: bfree
I agree Jesse is scum, but I think he is right about the city. Dictator Daley and his staff close bars all the time. Their sorry excuses at today's press conference were embarassing. There is more than enough blame to go around, including Jesse and his pals, but the city should have closed this place earlier. The police station is 8 blocks away. They knew what was happening there. Now trying to plead ignorance is insulting. By the way, I live in Chicago and am sick of the dictator.

But you know damned well that if they had closed the place, there would've been a hue and cry (and a lawsuit) because closing it would have been "racially motivated" and only because the city was trying to punish blacks."

32 posted on 02/20/2003 12:53:46 PM PST by ncpastor
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To: geedee
That's fantastic! Thanks for the laugh. Unfortunately, it's only half tongue-in-cheek.
33 posted on 02/20/2003 5:31:36 PM PST by NYC Republican
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To: BillyBoy; Chi-townChief; RedWing9; cfrels; TheRightGuy
I may have missed it. But nobody in the media seems to recognize who is really to blame.

People go to these dance clubs because they ARE ILLEGAL. It makes them exciting, risky. They go to dance clubs that are known to have minor fights because that makes it even more risky and exciting. Furthermore being in a club that is open because someone has clout gives one bragging rights. That is the dance scene in Chicago.

Look at the people who were there. Their whole life style is that of risky behavior seeking cheap, temporary thrills. Each person involved is responsible for his own actions only. Nobody involved is repsonsible for what happened to anyone else.

34 posted on 02/20/2003 9:33:35 PM PST by spintreebob
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To: spintreebob
People go to these dance clubs because they ARE ILLEGAL

Ok, Bob, I'll bite. Dance clubs are illegal??? Please expound.

35 posted on 02/21/2003 6:13:42 AM PST by TheRightGuy
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To: TheRightGuy
OK, so I depend on my 3 dancing daughters and their dancing friends for some info.

There is a big attraction to danceclubs on the edge. Some are rave with no license or building code inspection of any kind. Often the warehouse or storefront is rented under false pretense.

Some have been closed dozens of times for both minor and major violations. (and not just in the city. Clubs on Algonquin Rd near Mecham in my area have had murders, overdoses, liquor to minors and bubble gum on the sidewalk.) The possibility that the police will come and close the joint down is part of the excitement and a topic of discussion. I've heard "friends" of my daughters relate with high energy how they were someplace when it was busted, or when a fight broke out. They laugh when other drunks got caught doing stupid things. They cry when they are the victims.

IMO part of the attraction of the left to passing so man laws is precisely because it is so much fun for them to then flaunt those same laws.

36 posted on 02/21/2003 11:08:38 AM PST by spintreebob
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